Divorce Ethics
Divorce Ethics
In modern days divorce is a common occurance. Over the last twenty years people are getting married and divorced quickly. There are a plethora of reasons for getting divorced today including: abuse, money problems, addictions, young marriage, illegal immigrants marrying for citizenship, and so on. Divorce is also more accessible and easier to obtain than it was years ago. All one has to do is go to a lawyer and a divorce can be granted in some states without any questions. People go into marriages these days knowing that there is a possibility that they’re marriage might end in divorce. The availability of prenuptial agreements has made it possible for people to go into marriages with backup plans. I do not think that it is moral to go into a marriage with the slightest acknowlegement that the marriage might end in a divorce. Signing a prenuptial agreement is like getting married but saying, “Well just in case this whole thing doesn’t work out…”. I do believe that there are some exceptions when it comes to abuse. However, I think that too many people give up on their marriage without going through all of the avenues to help their marriage. Signing a prenuptial agreement makes it even easier to give up on a marriage. Things get exponentially more complicated when children are involved. It poses the question: should parents stay together for the sake of their children. As a child who comes from a family of abuse, I do not think that they should. However, my argument is that divorce should not be acceptable unless there is physical or psychological abuse. On top of all of this, remarriage adds another layer of complexity. Remarriage represents another dramatic change in the divorced family’s structure, and children respond to this change in different ways. In an article, Family Ties After Divorce: Long-Term Implications for Children by Dr. Ahrons children of divorced parents were asked, “whether the divorce or a parent’s
In modern days divorce is a common occurance. Over the last twenty years people are getting married and divorced quickly. There are a plethora of reasons for getting divorced today including: abuse, money problems, addictions, young marriage, illegal immigrants marrying for citizenship, and so on. Divorce is also more accessible and easier to obtain than it was years ago. All one has to do is go to a lawyer and a divorce can be granted in some states without any questions. People go into marriages these days knowing that there is a possibility that they’re marriage might end in divorce. The availability of prenuptial agreements has made it possible for people to go into marriages with backup plans. I do not think that it is moral to go into a marriage with the slightest acknowlegement that the marriage might end in a divorce. Signing a prenuptial agreement is like getting married but saying, “Well just in case this whole thing doesn’t work out…”. I do believe that there are some exceptions when it comes to abuse. However, I think that too many people give up on their marriage without going through all of the avenues to help their marriage. Signing a prenuptial agreement makes it even easier to give up on a marriage. Things get exponentially more complicated when children are involved. It poses the question: should parents stay together for the sake of their children. As a child who comes from a family of abuse, I do not think that they should. However, my argument is that divorce should not be acceptable unless there is physical or psychological abuse. On top of all of this, remarriage adds another layer of complexity. Remarriage represents another dramatic change in the divorced family’s structure, and children respond to this change in different ways. In an article, Family Ties After Divorce: Long-Term Implications for Children by Dr. Ahrons children of divorced parents were asked, “whether the divorce or a parent’s
References: AHRONS, C. R. (2007). Family Ties After Divorce: Long-Term Implications for Children. Family Process, 46(1), 53-65. doi:10.1111/j.1545-5300.2006.00191.x Brake, E. (2011). Is Divorce Promise-Breaking?. Ethical Theory & Moral Practice, 14(1), 23-39. doi:10.1007/s10677-009-9217-z DiBlasio, F. A. (2010). Christ-like Forgiveness in Marital Counseling: A Clinical Follow-up of Two Empirical Studies. Journal Of Psychology & Christianity, 29(4), 291-300. Instone-Brewer, David. (2006). Divorce and Remarriage in the Church: Biblical Solutions for Pastoral Realities. New York: IVP Books. Lim, J. (2006). Divorce and Remarriage in Theological and Contemporary Perspectives. Asia Journal Of Theology, 20(2), 271-284. Olshewsky, T. M. (1979). A CHRISTIAN UNDERSTANDING OF DIVORCE. Journal Of Religious Ethics, 7(1), 118. Roberts, T. W. (1992). Sexual attraction and romantic love: forgotten variables in marital therapy. Journal Of Marital & Family Therapy, 18357-364. Walsh, W. M. (1992). Twenty Major Issues in Remarriage Families. Journal Of Counseling & Development, 70(6), 709-715.